564 Miles
by victrolannights
Summary: Fitz is ready to take the final step towards their dream, but are the people around him and the American people ready? Takes place some time after he and Olivia come out as a couple.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I always get little ideas for stories like these, but I sort of fell in love with this one and decided to write it. In terms of when this is taking place, you can imagine it being towards the 3/4ths mark of Fitz's presidency. Probably not in this season, but the next (although I doubt this is going to happen). I don't know if I'd actually want Olivia and Fitz to get married in the White House. I go back and forth on what I really want to happen, but I think we all need some fluff pieces in our life. I am the biggest believer in that (I mean when do I ever not write fluffy futuristic pieces? Really.).**

 **This fic is dedicated to my dad, even though he will never read it. I'll always be his little girl dragging him out to the swingset after he comes home from work, no matter what.**

* * *

"Mr. President, thank you for your time."

"Thank you for making the trip for the Brady Campaign."

Fitz sighs loudly as the door to the Oval closes with a loud click, signaling the end of his meetings for the day. He quickly unlocks one of the drawers of his desk and pulls out the item he has been itching to look at all day. He flips the box open and runs his finger against the rim. The Erica Courtney ring glistens, even in the dim light of his office. He wants to hold it in his hand, but is afraid to taint it. Everything has to be perfect. He won't have it any other way. He hears a knock at the door and quickly shoves it back into the drawer.

"Come in." Charlotte pokes her head in and offers him a small smile.

"Teddy and Karen just arrived back from Virginia. They are waiting for you in the Residence." Fitz breathes a sigh of relief that it is not Olivia.

"And Ms. Pope has left to go out with Gab- Abby?" He corrects himself. He can almost see Olivia rolling her eyes at him.

"Yes sir. She said that she will return later tonight."

"Thank you Charlotte. You may go home early. Spend some time with that Congressman boyfriend of yours." Her face turns a deep shade of red. Fitz smiles.

"You are dismissed. Have a good night." Charlotte nods and quickly shuts the door. Fitz relocks the drawer before heading to meet his children.

If everything was going to be perfect, everyone needed to be on board.

* * *

"Karen, Teddy." Fitz greets, opening the door to the living room. He pulls a stool over so that he is eye-level with them and takes a seat. Teddy kicks his feet joyfully against the couch as Karen studies her father's serious expression. He smiles weakly.

"I have to ask you both a question." He murmurs. Teddy, seemingly feeling the gravity of his father's tone, stops moving and glances up at him.

"You both know that I love Olivia very much." He begins. Karen's face remains blank while Teddy's lights up.

"I love Livia. She tells the annoying nannies to go home so she can play with me and tuck me in." He reports cheerfully. Fitz rubs his leg gently.

"I know she does bud. She loves you very much." Teddy blushes slightly, sinking back into the big couch cushions that threaten to bury his tiny frame.

"I have loved Olivia for a very long time…" He's careful to choose his words, especially in front of Teddy. A nasty feeling settles in the pit of his stomach when he remembers that Teddy was not created out of any sort of love, but to cover up his and Olivia's relationship. He can see that Karen's eyes are filled with hesitation, making his stomach turn more.

"…and I would like to ask her to marry me. I am here to ask for your blessing." Teddy furrows his brows.

"Daddy, what's a blessing?" He asks seriously. Fitz smiles.

"I want to ask you if it's okay for Olivia to be your mommy too." He translates. Teddy grins.

"I'd love that." He cheers, falling back into the cushions once more in glee. Fitz turns to Karen and takes her hand into his.

"I know that the media circus surrounding Liv and I has been so hard on you. I never wanted it to be like this. I wish," He pauses, squeezing her hand lightly.

"…that I had met Olivia sooner, but that would mean I would have never gotten to have you as a daughter. And I can't imagine my life without you." Karen's eyes began to feel with tears, and Fitz began to feel her distance close in.

"You'll always be my little Kare Bear, dragging me out to the swingset in our backyard every day after I would come home from a long day of work and begging me to give you 'Superman' pushes. I wouldn't trade those memories for the world." He runs his thumb across her delicate knuckles.

"Your blessing would mean the world to me, but I understand if you are not ready." Karen looks down at their linked hands and presses her lips in a thin line together.

"Jerry…" She begins, taking a quivery breath. Fitz squeezes her hand. She sniffles and looks up at him.

"Jerry and I saw you and Olivia together. On the trail." Fitz furrows his brow.

"When?" He breathes.

"We were in Texas. The car that was supposed to take us to the airport was not coming, so we were decided to look for Olivia to help us. We asked Cyrus and he said she was in the conference room working on campaign plans. We walked down the hallway and pushed the door open and saw her…with you. She was laughing at something you said and you were smiling like we had never seen you smile before. You weren't kissing her or even touching her, but we could see that you loved her. You never looked at mom like that." Karen sighed.

"We backed out of the room and decided to go back to the front of the hotel without another word. Jerry and I did not talk about it for many years. We knew we both were thinking the same thing, but neither one of us wanted to admit it. We wanted to pretend that you and mom were in love. I mean, what child doesn't want their parents to be in love?" A tear falls down her face and Fitz yearns to thumb it away, but he is frozen in place. Sensing her sadness, Teddy snuggles into her lap, causing her to smile slightly.

"But years later, we did. That night we had to do that damn interview." She shakes her head at the memory.

"When I was about to go to bed, he came into my room and climbed in next to me. For a while, we just lied there staring at my ceiling. Then he turned and asked, 'Do you think Dad loves Olivia still?'. It wasn't a _then_. It wasn't a _now_. It was a _still_. All I could picture was her face during the interview. She looked like all she wanted was to be next to you." Fitz could visualize Olivia in the dining room, tears brimming in her eyes as she desperately tried to let her mind only focus on the work she had to do.

"I replied yes and that I didn't think you ever wouldn't be." She looks down and lets her freehand drift to run her fingers through Teddy's curls.

"So I'm going to have to agree with Teddy. I want Olivia to be my stepmother. She's the strongest woman I've ever met, and if she loves you enough to stand in front of the world and proclaim it despite the consequences, I think she deserves to be your wife." Karen says simply with a small smile. Fitz leans in and envelopes both of his children in a tight hug.

"I love you both so much." He whispers into Karen's hair. She hugs him tightly.

"I love you too Daddy." She responds. For the first time in a while, she feels like she has a relationship with her father again. He can feel her smiling through her tears into the crook of his neck.

"You're squishing me!" Teddy squeals, pressing his tiny palms against the lapels of Fitz's suit. He pulls away and kisses his youngest on the top of his head.

"Sorry bud." He ruffles his curls and picks his chin up.

"You can't tell Liv about this, okay? It's a surprise." He looks up at Karen to confirm with her. She nods.

"I'll make sure he doesn't peep." She promises. Fitz smiles.

"Good. The proposal is happening in two days. Until then, the secret must be kept."

* * *

 **Will Teddy be able to keep the secret from Livia? We shall see… ;) In your review, tell me where you have visualized Fitz proposing to Olivia. I have a clear idea of what I'm going to do, but I'm curious as to where you guys see it happening. Also, who can figure out the significance of the title? ;)**

 **I also love connecting to readers outside of , so feel free to follow me on Twitter (itsmebeccax) and watch my weekly Scandal reviews on YouTube (AleccaOfficial). My other stories will be updated as soon as I can get back into them, which should be very soon. I tend to be a very impulsive writer and like to get ideas out, so I wanted to post this one before going back to my old stories.**

 **Thank you all for your support!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I felt extremely inspired to update this for obvious reasons. I could rant, but let's just get to the good stuff. Lord knows we need it right now.**

* * *

Olivia's eyes fluttered open as a cool breeze ran through the open window in her bedroom. She shivered slightly, reaching across the bed to find warmth in her boyfriend. Her hands traced the Egyptian cotton sheets, but were met with nothing more. She turned her head and furrowed her brow.

Fitz _never_ got out of bed without giving her a good morning kiss. She would wake up to him smiling down at her and they would talk about the day ahead, followed by twenty minutes or so of not talking. She would then kick him out of bed, watching him lovingly as he put on his suit and headed out the door.

This morning, there was no trace of him. It was not completely uncalled for. _Maybe he had to tend to an emergency_ , she thought. She still thought he would have at least left a note. She sat up and wrapped the duvet around her to shield her from the chill in the air. With a heavy sigh, she yanked it off the bed and walked towards the bathroom to get ready for the day.

It was still extremely weird for Olivia to be reminded that she was living with him, let alone in the White House. To see their toothbrushes next to each other, robes hanging side by side. It was everything she dreamed about and more. She never thought of herself as a domestic person. She barely tolerated living with a roommate during her undergraduate years, not to mention living with Edison, yet she found herself loving living with Fitz. Even though privacy was limited, they still shared intimate moments daily in their own space.

She quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face. He had been fast asleep when she arrived back from Abby's apartment the previous night, and all she wanted to do was kiss his lips. It had been _far_ too long. With a small smile she pulled a taupe sweater over her head and slipped her black boots.

As she walked towards the Oval, she noticed how all of the staffers had grown accustomed to her presence. The First Divorce and the impeachment trial seemed to be finally dying down. The situation was nowhere near handled, but they were working on it. All that mattered is that she had-

"I'm sorry Miss Pope. President Grant is not in." Charlotte reported, stopping Liv before she could even touch the doorknob. She turned around in confusion.

"Can you tell me where he is?" She asked politely.

"He wanted to go for a little walk. He is with Tom and Hal." Olivia smiled weakly.

"Thank you Charlotte." She replied, walking to go find him outside. Her head was spinning with thoughts. She should not feel this uneasy, but something about this morning was suspicious.

* * *

Fitz paced back and forth through the Rose Garden nervously. He had been calling various people all morning to make sure the venue was ready. He would be there before she arrived, but he wanted everything to be perfect. Considering that was all handled, that just left him to practice what he was going to say.

He was always someone who was inspired in the moment, but he was nervous that this needed to be practiced at least once. He was so nervous he could not even wake her up this morning, also in fear that he might not make it to the proposal. He wanted this since she told him that she loved him too in front of the Constitution, and now it was finally happening.

"Olivia Carolyn Pope, I fell in love with you the moment we locked eyes…" He trailed off, looking off into the distance.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, who are you talking to?" A voice joked from behind him. Tiny arms snaked around his sides, enveloping him in a hug. He turned around and smiled down at her.

"You. I have eyes in the back of my head you know." She shook her head.

"I guess that will suffice as today's good morning greeting." She teased, looking up at him and challenging him with her eyes.

"I'm sorry. You looked so peaceful. I did not have the heart to wake you before I left for my early phone calls."

"That hasn't stopped you before. You had me worried." She moved her hands down his sides, suddenly grazing too close to the ring box in his pocket. He grabbed her arms and moved them so he could squeeze her hands. She was slightly startled by the sudden movement.

"I'm sorry Livie. I will leave a note next time." He kissed her hands in an effort to distract her. It seemed to be working for now. She linked their hands and began walking with him through the Rose Garden.

"What inspired you to take a walk through the Rose Garden?" She asked softly. He smiled weakly.

"Stressful morning. I like to come here to think."

"And apparently tell the woodland creatures about how much you love me." He tapped her lightly with her shoulder and she laughed.

"Hey, the whole world has to know." He bit the inside of his lip as the ring in his pocket grew heavy. Thankfully, his phone started to ring. He kissed her quickly on the lips.

"That's my cue to head back to the Oval. I'll see you at lunch." He kissed her one last time on the forehead and began walking towards the door with Hal and Tom tagging closely behind. Olivia crossed her arms together and watched him duck inside.

He was definitely hiding something.

* * *

Lunch was just as strange as their interaction in the Rose Garden, and Olivia was getting very confused. Not to mention the fact that he had been obviously avoiding her all day, scheduling meetings she knew he did not have to make. Granted, her boyfriend was the _President_ for a living, and she knew he was going to be very busy, but he always made time for her, even if it was five minutes.

It was now dinnertime, and Olivia was helping Martha set the table. She was very happy that Karen and Teddy were home so that Fitz would behave a little less strangely. Was he mad at her for something she did? Before she left for Abby's, he was less than pleased that she would not be back until late, but she more than made up for it. They had been apart since being a couple and he did not seem to get too bothered by it. She could not find any reasons for him to be stand-offish.

"What's for dinner?" Karen sked nonchalantly, taking her seat at the table. Olivia felt a brick of nervousness float to the bottom of her stomach. Teddy was much easier to be with because he did not have preconceived notions about her. She still felt as though Karen did not entirely approve of her.

"Steak, potatoes, and broccoli, all thanks to the wonderful Martha." Olivia said with a smile, patting the older maid on the back. Martha nodded.

"Thank you Ms. Gra-"

"Pope." Olivia corrected quickly. Martha quickly apologized and went back into the kitchen. Avoiding Karen's gaze, she took a seat at the table.

"Livia!" Teddy cheered, bounding through the door. Fitz followed in tow, dressed casually in a polo and jeans. Teddy was in his Superman pajamas, and from the looks of it had just gotten a bath.

"Hi buddy!" He ran into her awaiting arms. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Yes! I'm soooo hungry. I wanted to eat some Goldfish but Daddy said it would spoil my dinner." He complained.

"I think Daddy was right. Now go sit in your big chair okay?" Teddy complied diligently. He always listened to Olivia. His father on the other hand? Not so much. Fitz shook his head. He was just as whipped as he was. He walked over to Olivia and wrapped her arms around her. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her scent before walking over to his chair. As if on cue, Martha brought their meals out and filled Olivia and Fitz's wine glasses. They thanked her once more before digging in.

"Karen, how is your newest musical going? I hear you are doing Anything Goes." Fitz asked intently. Unlike many dinner conversations before, Karen seemed genuinely delighted to talk about it. Olivia was slightly taken off-guard.

"It's going well thanks for asking. I got the part of Reno! I just heard back today."

"That's awesome Bear. You know I did musical theater once." Olivia cocked her head and gave him a look.

"Okay I may or may not have done it because my football buddies dared me to. But it was a lot of fun." Karen rolled her eyes and Olivia shielded her smile behind her wine glass.

"Olivia, how is the gala planning going?" Karen asked. She nearly dropped her fork. All of this small talk was catching her off-guard. While Olivia had not accepted the official position as First Lady, she and Abby worked together to fill in the spaces that needed to be filled. They were currently planning a big fundraiser gala for Brandon Parker's foundation that was being held at the White House.

"It's going very well. We have a pretty nice guest list. Everyone from Angelina to the Prime Minister is set to come." Karen gasped.

"Can I meet Angelina?" Olivia smirked. So this is how you get to your future stepdaughter's heart.

"I am sure we can get you to her." She replied, smiling softly at her.

"My turn!" Teddy demanded, banging his fists on the table.

"Teddy, what did I talk to you about? We wait our turn." Fitz chastised lightly, looking over at his youngest. Teddy crossed his arms and pouted.

"I heard you went to the zoo today with Martha and Karen!" Olivia said, trying to avoid a meltdown. Teddy nodded reluctantly.

"What did you do there?" Fitz asked.

"I petted a monkey." He mumbled.

"And he climbed all over you!" Karen added to help Olivia. Teddy crossed his arms more tightly and sighed, obviously in deep thought.

"Livia, since Daddy said you are going to be my new mommy soon, can you take me to the zoo instead?" The little boy asked, picking his head up to look her in the eyes. Olivia froze, rendered speechless. Fitz looked over at Karen.

"Of course. But you're lucky; you get to have two mommies!" Olivia corrected, nervousness apparent in her voice.

"But I only want _you_ to bring me to the zoo." Teddy clarified.

"She'll bring you to the zoo Teddy. Right now let's just tell her about what we did today, okay?" Karen said, looking ever so slightly over at her father.

"I want Daddy to marry Livia so she can be my mommy _now_." Teddy cried, throwing his fists down onto his lap. Fitz stood up.

"If you're going to be grumpy I'm going to have to take you to bed." Fitz said sternly, walking over to his chair. He knelt down and whispered in his ear.

"I'm asking Livia to marry me tomorrow, so you still have to keep the secret so she will say yes and be your mommy, okay?" Olivia observed them intently, confused by the outburst. Teddy had always treated her as a friend and caregiver, but never had called her his mother. And what was this about marriage? She and Fitz had only been dating for four months. She watched as Teddy nodded and Fitz kissed the top of his head.

"I'm sorry." He murmured.

"It's okay Teddy. Tell me more about the zoo!" The conversation returned back to normal, but Olivia and Fitz's heads were obviously outside of it.

* * *

Olivia propped her head up on a pillow as she waited for Fitz to come to bed. She knew he was down the hall tucking Teddy in, but it was taking longer than usual. With an exasperated sigh, she pushed the sheets off of her and decided to go investigate. She threw on her robe and padded down the carpeted hallway. She pushed the door to Teddy's room ever so slightly, hoping to not get their attention.

"..and they lived happily ever after. The end." Fitz finished, closing the fairytale book gently. Teddy looked up at him intently.

"Just like you and Livia?" He asked innocently. Fitz paused for a moment before nodding.

"Just like me and Livia." He bent down and kissed the top of Teddy's head. Olivia leaned her head against the doorframe and smiled.

"Remember what we talked about okay?" He requested as he pulled the sheets tighter over the tiny boy. He nodded sleepily, grabbing onto his blue blanket tightly. Olivia backed away from the door, wondering even more so why Teddy was acting so strangely. Come to think of it, even Karen was acting really strangely. And Fitz.

She padded lightly back to their bedroom, not wanting for Fitz to know she had overheard them. She climbed back into bed and tossed the covers over her before grabbing her book from the nightstand. A minute later, Fitz came into the room, pulling off his sweatshirt and climbing under the sheets with her. He took the book from her hands and placed it on the bedside table.

"If you don't mind, I was reading that." Olivia shot, giving him a playful glare. He looked down at her and smiled softly.

"Why didn't you join us for storytime tonight? Did Teddy freak you out earlier?" Fitz wanted to gauge how comfortable she was with being Teddy's stepmother because earlier she looked nothing short of terrified.

"No, no! It's just…" She started.

"Teddy doesn't know what stable parents are. As far as he can recall, his mother and father were separate entities. Even if he remembers when Mellie and I were married, you know how our relationship was. We barely spent time as the three of us. It was always 'Daddy time' and 'Mommy time'." He pushed a stray hair out of her face.

"Ever since you've been here, he's gotten a real sense of what family should be, and it really excites him. I don't know where he got the marriage idea from, but you know that little kids soak up a lot. It's a natural next step in his head." Olivia smiled weakly.

"I just don't know if I can be a good mother to anyone. We both know my mom was anything but a good one." Fitz shook his head and pulled her into his muscular arms. She snuggled into his chest and inhaled deeply.

"There's a reason why Teddy wants you to be his one and only mommy. It is because he loves and admires you. You will be a great mother to him and our future babies." Olivia looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Two babies." He murmured against her lips, kissing her chastely. She hummed against his lips.

"We could, you know, start practicing now." He whispered hotly against her lips, moving his hand down her sides to slide her panties down. She responded with a desperate kiss, breaking it as she felt him slip a finger inside of her.

Fitz knew he had successfully distracted her. Just until tomorrow.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this and that it took your mind off of things. Don't forget to leave a review! Chapter three, the final chapter, will be up soon.**


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